Young professionals, want to work for a company that cares and tries to make a difference.

A recent survey by Zest found that:

• 61% of young adults want their employers to focus on sustainability.
• Workers aged 18 to 34 generally seek out organisations with greener policies.
• Two in five employees look for staff benefits that benefit the environment.

At Bellway, we believe in doing things the right way. We prioritise sustainability and give back to the communities we’re part of. Here are 5 ways that we set the standard for ecologically sound construction, preserve natural habitats, reduce carbon emissions, and build for the future:

1: Recognising the importance of environmental stewardship.

We’re a leader in sustainable development. It’s a core value of our operations and culture here at Bellway.

We’re committed to minimising our environmental impact and promoting biodiversity. We’ve created initiatives to reduce carbon emissions, such as investing in energy-efficient technologies and utilising renewable energy sources in our construction projects. 

2: Carbon efficient in everything we do.

At Bellway, we work extensively with the Carbon Trust, a specialist consultancy that promotes decarbonisation and energy efficiency. We’re aiming for a 55% reduction in carbon per square metre in homes built by 2030. We’re also preparing for future home standards, which will require significant decarbonisation efforts for everyone involved in the supply chain.

We’ve switched to green diesel or HVO, hydro-treated vegetable oil. We use HVO to power our generators and machinery on-site. Beyond construction and on-site savings, our electricity is backed by Renewable Energy certificates, linked to renewable energy projects. This allows us to offset our emissions, and further reduce our footprint.

Our commitment to carbon reduction is exemplified by our efforts to create the more energy-efficient home of the future. At Bellway, we lead the way in the transition from gas boilers to the next generation of heating.

3: Heating the homes of tomorrow.

The shift to air-source heat pumps forms part of the government's net-zero strategy as they offer outstanding carbon benefits. Bellway is already at the forefront of this exciting transition, and ready to meet the challenge head-on.

In 2022, the Bellway team collaborated with the University of Salford (UoS) to create the ideal home. We built a futuristic house in a controlled environment and academics at UoS tested it in extreme temperatures. The project involved monitoring energy performance data and achieved extremely positive results with air-source heating.

Air-source heat pumps are an ideal alternative to gas boilers, operating at 300% efficiency. The government target is to install 600,000 units per year by 2028, with around 40,000 currently fitted annually.

You can expect to see them becoming the norm before the end of the decade. The transition to installing air-source heat pumps in new builds is expected to occur between 2027-2028, with a combination of gas boilers and heat pumps in the interim period as more traditional building sites are already underway.

4: Forging an ethical supply chain

Bellway has taken great strides to create a more sustainable supply chain. We’ve developed a sustainability strategy called "Better with Bellway" that puts people and the planet first.

We’ve also partnered with the Supply Chain Sustainability School to ensure every part of our team is as ethical and considerate as possible. We’ve set a target for 85 of our key suppliers to become gold members of the Sustainability School by the end of 2024. That highest level of membership means we’ve committed our supply chain partners to:

• Complete a re-assessment every year.
• Attend training activities or events at least every 6 months.
• Demonstrate an increase in sustainability competence.
• Actively share knowledge and experience with other members.

Our team regularly meet with our top 50 suppliers to understand their sustainability strategies and learn from their inspiring examples.

5: We protect and preserve nature.

Alongside addressing environmental concerns, we’ve prioritised biodiversity and ecological preservation in our development projects. We’ve implemented measures to protect and enhance natural habitats, incorporating green spaces and wildlife-friendly features into our developments.

We preserve natural habitats during construction and offset any damage. We identify existing natural features on a site and prefer to retain and build around significant elements like old trees and ponds. If that’s not feasible, we create a new habitat nearby. All our new developments actively improve the area from an ecological perspective, with a dedicated head of biodiversity focused on this issue.

Bellway enjoys a close relationship with Plantlife, a charity focused on preserving habitats, species and ecosystems of wild plants and fungi. They provide information to our customers about planting native species in their gardens and offer practical advice on a range of environmental topics.

What makes us an employer of choice?

At Bellway, we’re dedicated to laying the foundations for a better future. We prioritise biodiversity and showcase sustainable practices, solidifying our reputation as a company that values environmental stewardship.

Our employees also enjoy environmentally minded initiatives, like the option to lease electric cars, our thriving cycle-to-work programme, and more.

Join us in contributing to a more environmentally conscious future.

Visit our careers page and find your place on the Bellway team.